It is well-known in the aeronautical sciences that an aircraft capable of hover and/or of slow flight is typically not well-suited to long-distance efficient cruising flight. One drawback of aircraft capable of long-distance efficient cruising flight is that such aircraft typically require long runways to be utilized for take-off and landing. This becomes problematic when there is not sufficient space for the requisite runway, meaning that such aircraft may not be used. There is a need for new systems and methods by which aircraft that otherwise require a long runway may be launched and retrieved from small spaces that solve these problems.